Lever-brace.



. G. A. CUTTER.

LEVER BRAGE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7. 19.09.

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Patented Nov, 25, 1913. I

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. CUTTER, or TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS, Assrenofi To CHARLES A. STONE,

OF PLYMOUTH; MASSACHUSETTS,

EDWIN S. WEBSTER, OF NEWT ON, MASSACHU- SETTS, RUSSELL ROBB, F CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS, HENRY GI BBADLEE, OF

BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND ELLIOT WADSWORTH, OF BOSTON, MASSA- CHUSETTS, COPARTNERS AS FIRM OF STONE & WEBSTER, 0F BOSTON, MASSA- CHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

LEVER-BRACE.

Patented Nov; 25, 1913.

Application filed January 7, 1909. Serial No. 471,076.

This invention relates to lever-braces, and

has for its object to construct an improved form of ratchet-head by means of which the brace is turned; also to construct a ratchet-head adapted to be slidably arranged on' the shank of the brace, so that it may be set at any point intermediate the length of said shank, and a lever-handle pivotally connected to it adapted to be held at an angle with respect to the shank of the brace, and while so held to operate the ratchet in any position it may occupy on the shank, said lever-handle being also movable into parallelism with the shank, and adapted to be employed to move the ratchet-head along on the shank.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lever brace embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a side viei. of the same, the parts being in their out-of-use positions. Fig. 3 is a cross-sec:

tion of the parts shown in Fig. 1 taken on the dotted line 3-3. Fig.4 is a cross-section of the parts shown in Fig. 1 taken onthe dotted line 4-4. Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of the lever brace. Figs. 6 and 7 are-details of the reversible dog borne by the driving-member of the ratchet-head; Fi 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail 0 the ratchet-head showing particularly the pivotal connection of the handle therewith. Fig. 9 is a detail showing the end of the shank. Fig. 10 is a detail showing the hand-piece.

a represents the shank of the brace which is made of any suitable length and square or other than round in cross-section. It may be made by simply cutting bar stock which is common on the market, to'a suitable length.. It is adapted to receive upon it at one end any'suitable tool or tool-holder.

In Figs.- 1 and 5 a nut-engaging socket b is placed" upon it. In all instances the member which is placed on the end of the shank a has a socket corresponding in shape and dimensions to the end of the shank on which it is placed, and saidshank has a fixed stop a and a friction-device a for respectively determining the the shank and or assisting in holding it thereon.

As herein shown, the fixed stop a consists of a ball set in a socket a formed in the shank, which protrudes therefrom a short distance, and which is held therein by cuttin the shank concentrically around the soc Tet to form a lip of andforcing inward the lip thus formed to thereby contract the osition of the member onmouth of the socket. As herein shown, the r friction-device a alsoconsists of a ball set m a socket in the shank upon a spiral spring a which acts to thrust outward the .ball,

and around said socket a lip is formed which is turned inward to hold the ball in its socket. The spring-pressed ball frictionally engages the member which is placed upon the end of the shank. My invention, however, is not limited to the employment of either a fixed stop or a friction-device, or to the construction of said elements. A's herein constructed, however, they are efficient and are easily and cheaply manufactured.

The shank a is designed to be held pressed against the object to be turned or otherwise operated, and whileso held to be turned,

and to provide for thus holding said shank it is provided at its outer end with a-spherical or other form of hand-piece g.- The hand-piece is herein shown as detachable and hence is formed with a socket to receive I the end of-the shank a, and the end of the shank which enters the socket in the handpiece is provided with a friction-device similar to the friction-device heretofore described. A detachable hand-piece is of particular advantage when the shank a is made of commercial bar stock. To cheaply pro- Vide' the spherical hand-piece with a socket it is herein shown as formed with a.recess, see Fig. '10, having parallel sides and a flat bottom and witha cylindrical hole at the bottom of said recess, and the end of the shank a is made cylindrical, see Fig. 9. The squared portion of the shank enters the parallel sided recess and the cylindrical portion thereof enters the cylindrical hole.

A a means of turning the shank a a ratchet-head is arranged thereon, and herein said, head slidably connected therewith,

' sothat it maybe move along thereon and setat any point intermediate its length, as

' may be-required. The ratchet-head, see Fig.

'5 consists of a collar k havinga toothed engaging portion, which constitutes the iven-member, and a ring 2' mounted on said collarhaving a dogfor engaging the toothed portion thereof, which constitutes the driving-member. The collarh has a "bore of the same shape and dimensions as turn the shank with it.

the transverse section of the shank a, so as to receive said shank and slide along thereon to occupy any position thereon. intermediate its length, and when turned to A flat spring k is placed in the bore of the collar which frictionally engages the shank a and thereby assists in holding the collar in whatever posi- .tion it may be set. The collar is; formed against the flange thereof, and it has a hole through it longitudinally for the dog a. The dog is pressed outward by a spring 11 which is contained in the hole in the ring, so that its end is adapted to project from the ring and enter the interdental spaces on the flange and to engage the teeth thereof. Said dog has a beveled end in order that it may slip freely over the teeth durin the backward movement of the ring. gaid dog is also reversible in the hole in the ring, so

' that it may be set to engage either side of the teeth and slip over'the adjacent-tooth V as the ringis'turned. The stem of the dog has a knurled head i which may be engaged by the fingers for the purpose of turmn'g it to reverse itsposition in the hole.

A handle m is connected with therin i which-may be employed as a mean or reciprocating .it rotarily. As herein shown said handle is made as a lever. which is formed with. a bifurcated end portion m, adapted to embrace the ring and to be pivotally connected thereto at diametrically opposite points. m m represent the pivotpins which extend through the arms of the bifurcated end portion of the handle and also through the ring, and, as herein shown, see Fig. 8, they project from the inside of the ring and entera circumferential groove formed in the cylindrical ortion of the collar. Said pivot-pins there y not only pivotally support. the handle, but also prevent endwise movement of the ring with respect to the collar and permit rotary movement thereof.

In using the implement, the ratchet-head will be moved along on the'shank to the desired point and the handle swung into operative position, being adapted 'to be held at any desired angle with res ect to the shank. The handle is then oscil ated to reciprocate rotarily the ring and thereby turn the collar and the shank to which said'collar is connected. The ratchet-head may be de tached from'the shank if desired, or it may remain thereon and the handle swung into parallelism with the shank as shown in Fig. 2, said handle being bent near its inner end to provide for thus arranging the handle with respect to the shank.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A lever brace including a bar of angular contour, and a ratchet head slidably mounted on said bar, saidhead including a collar formed with a longitudinal bore corresponding in size and shape to the transverse dimensions of the bar, an annular flange projecting at right angles from one end of the fitting the collar beyond the flange, a handle, and pivot pins uniting the handle and ring, said pins seating in the recess in the collar and securing sa1d ring and collar against other than independent rotary movement.

Intestimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, 1n the presence of two subscriblng witnesses.

GEORGE A. CUTTER. Witnesses a B. J. NOYES, H. B. Dana collar and formed with a series of teeth, said collar beyond the flange being formed with an annular recess, a ring rotatably 

